1853, "ways or speech of colonial persons," from colonial + -ism. Meaning "the system of colonial rule" is from 1884; originally not necessarily pejorative and suggestive of exploitation.
Entries linking to colonialism
colonial adj.
"pertaining to or belonging to a colony," 1756, from Latin colonia (see colony) + -al (1), or directly from colony on model of baronoinal. In U.S., especially "from or characteristic of America during colonial times" (1776). The noun meaning "inhabitant of a colony, a colonist" is recorded from 1816.
-ism
word-forming element making nouns implying a practice, system, doctrine, etc., from French -isme or directly from Latin -isma, -ismus (source also of Italian, Spanish -ismo, Dutch, German -ismus), from Greek -ismos, noun ending signifying the practice or teaching of a thing, from the stem of verbs in -izein, a verb-forming element denoting the doing of the noun or adjective to which it is attached. For distinction of use, see -ity. The related Greek suffix -isma(t)- affects some forms.
neocolonialism n.
also neo-colonialism, "the exertion of influence or control over other nations, especially former dependencies, without direct military or political control," 1955, from neo- "new" + colonialism.